Which statement best defines common law?

Which statement best defines common law?

• A. A system based on religious texts
• B. refers to legal system based on judicial decisions rather than legislative action
• C. A codified set of statutes created by the legislature
• D. The use of administrative regulations only

Answer: (B)

Common law is a legal system shaped by court decisions and the reasoning judges use to resolve disputes. It evolves through precedents—past rulings that guide how similar cases are decided in the future. Judges interpret and apply these precedents, and over time the body of rules grows as courts address new situations, creating a continuity known as stare decisis. This stands in contrast to a system that relies solely on statutes enacted by the legislature, where the rules are written out in codified form. Administrative regulations, created by agencies to implement statutes, are another source of law but not the essence of common law. So the defining idea is that common law develops through judicial decisions and evolving case law, rather than being fixed only by legislative statutes.

Common law is a legal system shaped by court decisions and the reasoning judges use to resolve disputes. It evolves through precedents—past rulings that guide how similar cases are decided in the future. Judges interpret and apply these precedents, and over time the body of rules grows as courts address new situations, creating a continuity known as stare decisis. This stands in contrast to a system that relies solely on statutes enacted by the legislature, where the rules are written out in codified form. Administrative regulations, created by agencies to implement statutes, are another source of law but not the essence of common law. So the defining idea is that common law develops through judicial decisions and evolving case law, rather than being fixed only by legislative statutes.